Fairfax City man dies after road rage assault

City of Fairfax Police said William Hays O’Brien, 63, died April 26 from wounds he sustained after being assaulted on April 16 after a road rage incident.

Police said that O’Brien reported that at about 11:20 a.m. on the 16th, he was assaulted by an unknown male subject in the parking lot of the Fair City Mall at 9600 Main Street after a traffic incident. O’Brien said he had been attacked and that the suspect then left the area in a gold-colored minivan. A short time later, O’Brien was transported to a medical facility and hospitalized for treatment of a head injury. Police said the incident is still under investigation but that preliminarily, it looks as though the two men pulled over into the shopping center after being in traffic together and began fighting. Police said that there was no evidence of any weapon being used on O’Brien and that he was just likely punched.

On April 18, Librado Cena, 57, of the 9800 block of Saint Cloud Court in Fairfax, was taken into custody after an officer recognized his vehicle as the one reported by O’Brien.

Police said Cena was interviewed by police and transported to the Adult Detention Center where he was charged with aggravated malicious wounding. He is currently released on bond pending trial. Cena is listed as the director of religious education at St. Leo the Great Catholic Church in Fairfax. Following his arrest, the Rev. David A. Whitestone, a pastor at the church, released a statement:

“The members of Saint Leo the Great Church are very saddened by the news of Mr. O’Brien’s death and shocked by the apparent involvement of a member of our church. Many of us are struggling to come to terms with this disturbing event, and we are following developments in this case closely.”

On April 26, the City of Fairfax Police received notification that O’Brien, who had been hospitalized, had died of a brain injury. Police said an autopsy was performed by the Office of the Medical Examiner and the death was ruled a homicide. The Criminal Investigations Division has notified the Commonwealth Attorney’s office and the criminal investigation is continuing. According to police, the last homicide in the City of Fairfax was on Aug. 16, 2008. Police said it is still to be determined whether the malicious wounding charges against Cena will be upgraded now that O’Brien has died from his injuries.

Four charged in armed robbery

Police say an online ad for shoes that went bad has led to the arrest of four individuals with armed robbery and abduction.

According to police, while on patrol in the shopping center in the 7400 block of Little River Turnpike, an officer noticed a car creeping along without its lights on. Unbeknownst to the officer, police said a robbery involving a gun, a15-year-old boy and his Nike sneakers was in progress.

Police said the teen had placed an online ad selling the tennis shoes and had scheduled to meet a prospective buyer at the shopping center shortly before 11 p.m. on Monday.

Police said when the teen showed up with the shoes, he was abducted by four men armed with a gun from Prince Georges County, Md.

Police said the teen was a passenger in their vehicle when he signaled to the officer that he was being abducted against his will at gunpoint.

“A patrolman saw the teen in the vehicle, gesturing to him,” said police spokeswoman Lucy Caldwell.

Caldwell said that upon being notified of a weapon, the officer, along with back-up, enacted a high-risk stop. All four suspects were taken into custody. All of the suspects were charged with robbery, use of a firearm in commission of a felony and abduction.

Caldwell said that buyers and sellers using online services to sell products should proceed with caution. “Meet during daylight hours, never alone, and in a public place. Transactions with strangers can be risky and all those involved need to take precautions to protect their safety,” she said.

Police charge Fairfax man with burglary

A Fairfax man is in custody after being charged with burglary and destruction of property.

Police say officers responded to a home in the 11300 block of Aristotle Drive in Fairfax on April 30 shortly before 9 a.m. for a report that someone had broken into the home.

Police located and detained a person matching a description of the suspect given by the homeowner. Police said Monte Tobias Moyer, 27, of Aristotle Drive, was seen acting in a suspicious manner, not far from the reported address and was subsequently identified as the person who had allegedly entered the home unlawfully. Police said the homeowner initially saw Moyer standing outside his front door. A short time later, Moyer was allegedly seen standing in the man’s kitchen. The homeowner confronted Moyer and as he fled, Moyer ran through a closed glass door, shattering the glass as he exited.

Moyer was charged with burglary and destruction of property and was transported to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.

Grill causes Falls Church carport fire

Fairfax firefighters responded to a carport fire April 28 at approximately 11 a.m., in the Falls Church area of Fairfax County. The carport was located in the 6700 block of Westcott Road.

Firefighters reported heavy fire coming from a detached carport to the rear of a single family home upon their arrival. Crews conducted an aggressive fire attack and quickly extinguished the fully involved carport and nearby shed. However, the intense heat and close proximity to nearby homes resulted in the melting of vinyl siding to two homes and caused extensive damage to four vehicles. Propane tanks inside the carport also ruptured causing several explosions, officials said. No one was home when the fire broke out. No one has been displaced. There were no injuries.

Damage is estimated at $45,000. According to fire investigators, the fire was accidental. A barbeque grill too close to combustibles caused the fire.

Fairfax Fire Chief appoints Daniel V. Gray Deputy Chief

Fairfax County Fire Chief Ronald L. Mastin has selected Battalion Chief Daniel V. Gray for promotion to Deputy Chief. Chief Gray will be assigned as Deputy Chief of the Safety and Personnel Services Division of the Personnel Services Bureau, effective May 4.

Gray began his career as a firefighter in October 1984, and was initially assigned to Fire and Rescue Station 29, Tysons Corner.

As Deputy Chief, Safety and Personnel Services, Gray will be responsible for personnel, recruitment, and health and safety within the nearly 1,600 member organization.

Fairfax Fire Chief selects Robert J. Zoldos for Deputy Chief

Fire Ronald L. Mastin has selected Battalion Chief Robert J. Zoldos II for promotion to Deputy Chief. Chief Zoldos will be assigned as Deputy Chief, A-Shift, Operations Bureau, effective May 4. Since July 2011, he has served as a field Battalion Chief in the seventh battalion.

Chief Zoldos began his career as a recruit firefighter in July 1994, and was initially assigned to Fire and Rescue Station 10, Baileys Crossroads.

As Deputy Chief of the A-Shift, Zoldos will be one of three operational shift deputies, and will supervise the daily activities of all 37 fire and rescue stations in the department. He will be responsible for approximately 350 personnel.